A business award sends out an impressive message to your customers/potential customers whether you win the competition outright or are simply shortlisted as a finalist.

It is free marketing and publicity.

It provides an opportunity to showcase your business to customers and suppliers.

It gives a sign of quality to potential customers and demonstrates business integrity and status.

It is an influential way of differentiating you from competitors and highlighting your success.

It can open doors to new contracts, contacts and suppliers and help you break into new markets.

It can help you be a part of a community, and sends out a confident message to your neighbourhood.

It can help you attract possible partners or investors.

The awards evening provides a great networking opportunity and shortlisted businesses will receive free tickets.

Just being shortlisted can improve your brand awareness, boost employee motivation and help relationships with customers and suppliers.

For the public vote categories, customers are encouraged to comment on your business when they nominate you and we will pass these comments onto you. You can use these in your marketing materials, on your website and in store to help promote and give credibility to your business.

Success from 2018

Fulham entrepreneurs Zarina Holmes and Salina Christmas of Glue Studio picked up the new Best Creative Start-Up accolade. The twin sisters – with Salina just 10 minutes older than her sister and business partner Zarina – started their product graphic design studio just over two years ago.

“We couldn’t believe it when we heard our name being announced as the winners,” said Zarina. “The council and Upstream have been incredibly supportive. We didn’t realise how many tech and creative firms were based in the borough.”

“We were initially thinking of setting up in east London but we chose H&F in the end and it is proving to be a great choice.”

Best Tech Start-Up was another of the exciting new categories added in 2018, won by CyLon, in support of the borough’s booming new tech district. That is a product of Upstream, the council’s new partnership with Imperial College London; making H&F a leading destination for the biotech, digital and creative industries.

After the record number of public votes from residents was counted, Playdays Parties picked up the Best Business in Fulham award for the second year running while Lumi Power Yoga was also named the number one business in Hammersmith for the second consecutive year.

Meanwhile, the public voted the family-run Dels the Best Business in Shepherds Bush in 2018. The hardware shop in Askew Road was founded by Lalji Patani 38 years ago. His son Sunil (aka Del Boy, pictured) now runs the business with his son Ash (aka Rodney).

Locals lovingly nicknamed the family after characters from the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. “These awards are fantastic,” added Sunil. “We’re one of the very few original shops to still be trading on Askew Road. It’s great to see that the public still treasure independent shops like us on their high street.”

“We are a small team of 14 people and the awards are a great way to showcase and support the smaller businesses in H&F. We’re looking forward to entering again this year.”

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